It’s a very competitive world in the field of business – all across the industries you’ll find a litany of competitors that are all vying for the eyes and attention of potential customers and clients. There are a number of strategies that exist for boosting a company profile in the eyes of the market, different tactics that all have the same intention and goal – making a brand as professional and popular as possible in the field.
The variety of methods that are utilised to achieve this endgame will always depend on the industry and the size of the business of course. In the case of larger corporations, there are usually long-term and multi-year campaigns in which to boost a profile and keep up with the other giants in the field.
We’re not here for that, today we’re focusing on the smaller fish tanks – small businesses have the tougher time brandishing an identity, especially with a smaller budget and limited avenues of expenditure available for brand campaigns and awareness increase.
An unorthodox and often misunderstood method that’s being picked up more and more is the introduction and subsequent incorporation of a virtual phone system. These remarkable systems have allowed small businesses to grow exponentially in the eyes of the market and have the added caveat of providing a much-needed convenience and boost for productivity simultaneously.
The System Fundamentals
A virtual phone system like this one here talkroute.com is more akin to a digitised telecommunicator software/service. It’s a software that doesn’t need any hardware introductions except that of a program and internet connection. It more or less acts as the mediator for a business number, routing a call if needed to whomever it needs to go to. It also hosts an array of extra features that assist in alleviating any stresses or unnecessary interactions that often plague companies with wasted time.
The way it works is quite simple, a phone call is placed to a company – the system will intercept the call and distribute the connection to a nominated secondary location, whether it be a mobile, desktop or even a different landline in the office. There are added features to make this an easier system, with the integration of pre-recorded options to answer more common queries that do not necessitate direct interaction, there’s also the option for dictation and subsequent forwarding of messages to nominated emails or even as text messages for further action.
It’s a relatively smart system across all the offerings we have found and the need for organisation and collation in smaller businesses cannot be understated, especially with the marked decrease in landlines in office environments.
Building The Brand
Now we have a basic understanding of the system itself, it’s time to delve into the utility and potential it holds for building a strong and vast brand for even the smallest business. There’s no shortage of reporting that have supplemented the claim that a strong and reputable brand can bring a string of benefits for smaller businesses and for profit increases as a result.
1.   A Brand That Dreams Big
It’s one of the core principles of good business, having some forward-thinking and aspirational goals are laudable and can make a unique and irreplaceable impression on the market and potential clients. The incorporation of a virtual phone system achieves this through its array of impressive features.
The concept of dreaming big is incorporated with virtual phone systems at a fundamental level, from the option to install an automated greeting that has a professional and sleek sound to it, all the way to toll-free numbers and extension options. These variables all collate in the mind of a prospective caller that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes and add a weighted presence for the phone call in lieu of the rudimentary and amateurish alternative of letting calls go dead.
In essence, a virtual phone system will add a much-needed capability and reliability in the eyes of the market.
2.   A Vanity Number Is Not So Vain
It may sound like a small attribute for virtual phone systems, but it has a massive utility for smaller entities that are still carving their corner of the market and need some psychological assistance. There’s something to be said about a clear-cut and memorable contact number for any business large or small. The opportunity that’s presented with virtual phone systems is the ability to often customise the number that will be implemented in the system. This gives an opportunity to create a truly memorable brand that’s memorable for consumers. It also helps the business owners who don’t wish to have private numbers advertised.
It’s a two-fold advantage with the customisation of a virtual phone system, the professional edge and image you’ll gain from having a personalised and business-centric number as well as the safety in knowing private numbers won’t be screened out to the general public.
3.   Customer Service Breeds Reputation
Likely the most important branding opportunity that is presented with the introduction of a virtual phone system to a business resides in the customer service opportunities it holds. A brand is only as infamous and reputable as the clients and customers who use them. Having a string of bad experiences will hinder any brand, regardless of advertisements and vanity numbers. This is where the virtual phone systems make their mark known. With a host of features that have a profound impact on the customer experience to the point of reputable satisfaction.
As an example, one of the key features of a virtual phone system is the ability to have pre-recorded responses that answer more pertinent queries that callers tend to have. This is especially rife in the e-commerce industry. The amount of complaints you will find online from dissatisfied customers claiming to not have their questions answered succinctly or even having their call answered at all is shockingly common. Luckily, with the automated call-forwarding and pre-recorded responses attached with most virtual phone systems, this issue is negated.
4.   In Case Of Emergency
While it’s not the most common issue that plagues small businesses, there are times where phone lines are corrupted, cut or simply unable to work. This can happen during natural disasters and other natural crises that inhibit phone lines.
The essence of a virtual phone system is in the lack of requirement for phone lines, as it all takes place through internet connectivity and online networks. This ensures that phone calls will never be inhibited by anything except an internet outage which is much less common in the modern day. Having a secure and evergreen connectivity is a branding opportunity waiting to happen, the security that it presents invariably ensures people will associate your company with a sense of strength and reliability – this is priceless.
In Summation
When you’re building a brand, reputation matters more than anything. Having a system in place that assures and gives off the impression of professionalism and scope will make any small business seem like a behemoth to be reckoned with. Different virtual phone systems offer different features that suit particular industries, take the time to have a saunter through and decide which one is within the right budget for you and pretty soon you’ll be in the professional realm.
